Dr. Gabriel G. Nahas, Marijuana Opponent, Dies at 92
Last edited Sun Jul 8, 2012, 06:12 AM - Edit history (1)
Source: New York Times
By Douglas Martin
Dr. Gabriel G. Nahas, a controversial medical researcher who became a prominent crusader against marijuana after being shocked to hear, at a PTA meeting in 1969, about the drugs widespread use, died on June 28 in Manhattan. He was 92. The cause was a respiratory infection, his family said.
...
His critics in the scientific community sometimes assailed his methodology, questioning the large judgments he made often based on small samples. Organizations promoting the decriminalization or legalization of marijuana painted him as a villain. The New England Journal of Medicine once described his work as psychopharmacological McCarthyism that compels him to use half-truths, innuendo and unverifiable assertions.
...
In 1972, he published his first book about the dangers of the drug, Marihuana: Deceptive Weed. In 1974, he announced that he had discovered a link between the drug and the bodys immune system. The findings represent the first direct evidence of cellular damage from marijuana in man, he said in a statement.
But scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, who studied the chromosomes of volunteers who smoked marijuana, found no deficiency in immune responses and no chromosome abnormalities, which Dr. Nahas had also predicted. Nevertheless, Dr. Nahas suggested that the results prompt reconsideration of a recent government report that marijuanas dangers were less than those of alcohol.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/health/dr-gabriel-nahas-researcher-who-waged-a-campaign-against-marijuana-dies-at-92.html?_r=1&hpw
He was also pro-Vietnam war, according to the Times.
underpants
(182,829 posts)glad you are dead asshole
Ezlivin
(8,153 posts)Well, not exactly in his honor, but in his memory.
Wait, not his memory, but the memory of the things he was against.
Yeah, that's it. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........
Kolesar
(31,182 posts)At least he lived to see opinion change rapidly against his prohibition.
UnrepentantLiberal
(11,700 posts)bluestateguy
(44,173 posts)No comment.
independentpiney
(1,510 posts)His 'research' and congressional testimony was very influential in stopping cannabis decriminalization in the mid-70's.
tabasco
(22,974 posts)Fuck him and good riddance.
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)And even worse, it made white women want to have sex with black men.
--Harry J. Anslinger
Almost every argument against marijuana was based on lies and misinformation.
eggplant
(3,911 posts)the actual reasons for criminalizing it had absolutely nothing to do with the stated reasons. Hemp represented a huge financial threat to DuPont (inventors of synthetic fibers) and Hearst (huge consumer of paper and owner of huge paper-making industries), and a convenient excuse to oppress blacks and mexicans in the southwest.
The "medical" arguments have consistently been as absurd as the WMD arguments were for invading Iraq.
obamanut2012
(26,080 posts)And cheap fiber and cheap paper. That's it. They used the specter of rampaging Black and Hispanic men to demonize cannabis, including using the term "marijuana" to link it closer to "Criminal Mexicans." And, of course, we cannot forget "Reefer Madness."
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)backscatter712
(26,355 posts)Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)wwytchwood
(31 posts)burn one, and flash the peace sign, for the doc!
obxhead
(8,434 posts)His would be one grave I really wouldn't mind pissing on.
GoneOffShore
(17,340 posts)But very happy to read his obituary.
(Hat tip to Mark Twain)
Kurska
(5,739 posts)Last thing we need is him back.
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)Cooley Hurd
(26,877 posts)ladeeda
(1 post)Look guys, the man did a lot of things, among them save more then 200 allied soldiers lives in france as a french resistant fighter. You should seriously show a little respect, he suffered huge PTSD after the war, he was beaten tortured and nearly killed multiple times, he took on Marijuana as a battle, like he did with the nazis. I am not saying that was right, but saying things like you want to piss on his grave and you glad he is dead just make you sound like not only complete assholes, but complete idiots as well. Show some respect for a war hero. please
DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)emilyg
(22,742 posts)rest in peace. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Kurska
(5,739 posts)that this man helped support? I'd thank him for his service, but I also wish he never harmed so many other people.
JoeyT
(6,785 posts)the same way he lied about how dangerous weed was. Or maybe "Show some respect for a war hero." is a bullshit argument.
But at least his family cares enough to sign up and defend him.
Smilo
(1,944 posts)He was also an idiot.
Response to Kolesar (Original post)
bupkus This message was self-deleted by its author.
I wonder if Michele Leonhart is his illegitimate daughter?They seem to very much share the same ignorant views.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)BlueToTheBone
(3,747 posts)That would be corpse mutilation (or something) and think of the maggots on him! eww!
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)"fuck him" literally
Festivito
(13,452 posts)awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)is cracking me up
OnyxCollie
(9,958 posts)machthesis
(1 post)This is great news! My grandpa used to work with him as an RA. I remember about 15 years ago he showed me the original results showing mj to be mostly harmless. When Dr Nahas was bribed to doctor his results he resigned out of anger at Dr Nahas who he had always considered an ethical man, I guess the money was just too good. After he passed away I received my grandpas personal affects and still have all his old paperwork in storage. I think when I move in a few months I'll dig through it all and post whatever I can find online. I can think of no better way to desecrate the memory of such a disgusting crook...... except for lighting up, which I think I'll do now.
Kolesar
(31,182 posts)joshcryer
(62,276 posts)Great Caesars Ghost
(532 posts)DBoon
(22,369 posts)I recall it was a right wing publishing house, roughly equivalent of Regnery.